And now she had to question what she wanted and where she would end up, because Chicago held much less attraction for her than Juniper Ridge did. Or maybe it was just the man who had his arm around her shoulders. He was always there for her, her support, a listening ear, the one she could lean on when things were rough, and he never asked for more than she could give. When she compared him to Trent—to anyone she had dated before—they just couldn’t compare.
Vince pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her mouth so slow and drugging, she stopped thinking altogether.
When he released her, Cami looked up into his eyes and knew this was love. The strong kind that lasted decades. She kissed him once more, wanting to show him what he meant to her, even if the realization had made her too breathless to speak.
Vince tipped his forehead against hers. “I’d be willing to bet a few of the sisters will fall in love with the area before their time is up here.”
Cami didn’t get a chance to tell him she thought he was right before he kissed her again.
Chapter 35
When Cami came back inside, Delphi was the only one in sight. She sat at the table, the opened jeweler’s box and unopened letter sitting before her. “I don’t know how I feel about all of this,” Delphi said after glancing in Cami’s direction.
“That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to jump for joy and want to be my best buddy ever. Dad threw us all for a loop.”
“What happened?” Delphi turned all the way so she could look Cami in the eye. “When we first got here, I thought you were the least happy about things. You held back more than anyone else. And now suddenly you want us all to be super-close sisters?” There were dark hollows under her eyes. Everyone was worn out from the long weeks of preparation, but there was something more to this than weariness.
Cami slid into a nearby chair and pulled her letter out of her back pocket, fingering it. “I don’t expect an overnight transformation. I don’t think Dad’s vision of all of us being close and supporting each other for the rest of our lives is possible—not the way he wanted it.”
Delphi nudged the Tiffany’s box. “Then what’s with the matching pins?”
“Two parts. First, I decided to let go of whatever anger I felt for you guys just for existing. I’m still mad at Dad. But, it’s not your fault, and I’m not going to hold it against you anymore.”
After a long stare, Delphi nodded. “I’d appreciate that. It hasn’t been all hugs and puppies for us, either, you know.”
“And second,” Cami drew in a breath. “I believe in us. I want to send a message of solidarity; we’re strong, and we’re going to make this happen. As long as we work as a team, no one is going to stop us.”
Delphi looked back at the letter on the table and took another sip of her drink. “What do you think this round of letters says? I’m not sure if I dare open it.”
Cami felt the smooth heavy-bond paper as she ran her fingers over it. “I know. I can’t help but wonder if he thought these letters were supposed to make us all feel better about his decisions. And since part of me doesn’t want to forgive him, I’m torn over whether or not I should read it.”
Delphi finished off her glass in one gulp, then stood from the bar. “No one said we have to read them tonight.” She slid the letter and pin from the counter. “We have a long few days ahead of us. Better get some rest.”
“Yeah. Good night.” Before heading up the stairs to her room, Cami watched Delphi walk away. Cami shut the door behind her and dropped her letter and pin on the dresser before beginning her bedtime routine.
When she lay in bed, she picked up the letter again and stared at it in the lamplight. On one hand, she wanted to know what her father had to say. She missed having him there to turn to, and tomorrow was a huge day for them all. On the other side of the spectrum was the worry that whatever he said may not satisfy her.
Cami,
If you’re reading this, you took the job at the hotel, and you’re opening it tomorrow. I’m sure the past couple of months have been full of pitfalls and struggles. Opening a hotel is a big job, but one I found immensely rewarding. The only thing I regretted about the fifteen I opened in my career was that it took me away from my girls so often.
I know it’s too much to hope that you and your sisters have become automatic friends, but I hope the past few months have put things into motion for you all to create close friendships before the year is out. Cami, you’re a leader—the one I see coming out as the head of the family, even though Lana will be the boss at the hotel, and Rosemary has a personality strong enough to turn any parent’s hair gray. Leadership is a funny thing, isn’t it? The harder you push people to follow, the more they go their own way, but the more acceptance and friendship you offer, the more they fall in line.
The next year is bound to be a difficult one, but you have the ability to lead softly, to pull people to you, which will come in handy both at work and at home.
But don’t forget that there’s so much more to life than work. You tend to forget that a social life—one including people you enjoy being around, not the staid relationships that make up the upper crust—is important. Get out, meet people, make true connections. And know whatever happens, I love all my girls more than life, and I want you to be happy. Focus on that, and the rest will work out for itself.
All my love,
Dad
Cami bit her lip as she wiped away tears. She missed having him there to share jokes and dreams. Though she hadn’t forgiven him yet, she knew she was on her way. Whatever else he might have done, she knew he loved his girls.
That meant something now.
~*~
Breakfast the next morning was crazy with everyone rushing to prepare and popping in and out of the kitchen. When Cami came down, ready to go and wondering if her stomach would hold any food, she found Sage sitting at the table, the newspaper open in front of her. “What news from the astrology section today?” she asked as she grabbed a banana from a bunch on the counter.
Sage studied the paper. “Yours promises an encounter with an old flame that will put everything into perspective.”
Cami smiled. “Ah, that could be interesting The question is which perspective . . . ” She looked up and saw Lana descending the stairs. “What about for her?”
“What astrological sign are you?” Sage asked Lana.
“I don’t believe those things,” Lana dismissed.
“Just play along,” Cami said. “You know the paper promised me love the day we met Vince in the park. It might be entertaining to see what it offers for you.”
“Funny.” Despite that, Lana called back over her shoulder to Sage, “I’m a Scorpio.”
“Ah, that explains so much,” Sage said, then stopped with her finger on a paragraph in the paper. “Today is your lucky day, the beginning of something new and special. Allow love a chance and your life will be changed.”
“Right. Love is so not happening. I could use a lucky day, though. I think we all could.” Lana poured herself a glass of cranberry juice and leaned back against the counter to sip it.
“Who needs luck,” Jonquil asked as she joined them in the kitchen. “We’ve worked our tails off. This is going to go off without a hitch.”
“You said it,” Rosemary said as she and Delphi came into the room.
“Everyone ready?” Delphi asked as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “We’ve got some serious butt to kick.”
Cami grabbed the paper on her way out the door, scanning it as she got into the car with Lana. When her eyes landed on the horoscope page, though, she was surprised to see that other than the bit about the lucky day, Sage’s predictions were different than what the paper said. Weird. When she remembered the time Sage had predicted the Fourth of July would be full of surprises—and not necessarily good ones, Cami paused. She dismissed the thought. No one could know things like that.
~*~
The first arrivals weren’t expected until at least ten o’clock
, but the hotel hummed with activity by eight, excitement and nerves mounting as the employees prepared for opening day.
Nearly all of the sisters lent a hand in the first hours, ensuring everything was in place until Delphi said she couldn’t think of another thing that needed to be done. Cami questioned her staff members, making sure they had answers to all of the usual questions and a number of the less common ones. She checked and double-checked all of the details under her control and probably drove everyone near her crazy.
And then guests started to arrive and everything clicked along as Cami oversaw her employees while they began the check-in procedures that were so familiar to her.
It turned out Zelda Gifford was a statuesque blonde—definitely aided by a salon—even taller than her daughter and as slender as a flower stem. Cami thought Delphi was a classy mixture of her mother and father, getting the best of both worlds in many ways.
Zelda checked to make sure her room was hyper allergenic and there would be no fresh flowers in there—she was allergic, after all—and was her appointment at the spa still on? She verified her spot at the gala dinner that night—she had to be sure she was seated close so she could hear the speakers if something went terribly awry with the audio system. Cami was grateful the woman was Delphi’s problem and not her own.
Cami’s exasperation at the woman’s pickiness outshone her twisted emotions as she spoke with Zelda. “I hope you have a nice weekend. Delphi has been working very hard to get everything ready. You must be so proud of her.”
“Well, yes, of course,” Zelda said in a tone that indicated she didn’t see why she should be. “Delphi always did have her own way of doing things. Her father always encouraged her to do whatever she wanted.” This last held more than a little distaste.
“He was always good about supporting our interests,” Cami agreed, forcing her smile to stay in place as her dislike for the woman grew. “If you need some help with your bags, Jeffery’s free to assist you.”
“Oh, yes, thank you. I do need a nap before my massage.” She waggled her fingers at Jeffery. “Come along, then.”
Cami prayed the other sisters had gotten much luckier in the mom department, then she wondered what her father had ever seen in Zelda—surely he’d gone for more than just a pretty face, hadn’t he?
Sage’s mother—“Just call me Darla, honey”—may have been eccentric, but fortunately, she was completely sweet. Jonquil’s mother was a tiny brunette with flashing blue eyes like her daughter’s and despite George’s having taken good care of her financially, she took in the hotel with avid curiosity, saying she’d never stayed anywhere so fancy. Cami liked her immensely.
Rosemary’s mother didn’t come at all, which brought up all kinds of questions Cami didn’t have time to ask.
Things were going along smoothly and Cami was starting to think the whole event would go off without a hitch when Trent and Trina arrived. She’d noticed Trina’s name on the guest list but hoped the two of them would arrive and check in while she was busy elsewhere. She would have managed to avoid them for a while if Trent hadn’t requested to speak with her.
Cami put on her best social face and came out with a smile, nerves filling her stomach. “Trent, Trina, I’m so glad you made it. This is going to be a great weekend!”
“This is lovely. You’ve done such an amazing job,” Trina said, her voice completely sincere. “You must be so pleased.”
“Yes, and we’re completely booked, which is always nice.”
“If we wander around here for a while, I suppose we’ll see all of your dad’s carbon copies,” Trent said, gesturing with his hands.
Cami fought to not grind her teeth. “I’m sure you’ll run into one or two of my sisters during the weekend, but I wouldn’t say we look much alike. It makes for a diverse and interesting group with lots to offer.” She wished she dared shut him down for his bad behavior, and noticed the way Trina’s brows furrowed in unhappiness at his comments. Cami imagined how Rosemary would have responded. She would have to be content with that image, however false because responding that way would be a mistake.
“I’m sure Cami has a lot to do today,” Trina said, giving Trent’s arm a tug. “We’ll get a chance to talk to you later.”
Cami was happy to see them walk away.
Chapter 36
Cami brought her formal dress for the gala with her to work that morning, so after a quick double-check of her department that afternoon, she took her dress upstairs to Lana’s office to change and fix her makeup in the executive restroom.
“Has Joel had any more luck tracking the payments into Mrs. Grady’s account?” she asked Lana as she touched up her mascara.
“No, he said the payments were made in cash. He has extra guys working tonight to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. I doubt anything’s going to happen, but with our luck lately, you never know.”
“No kidding.” Cami eyed her sister in the mirror. “How are you holding up?”
“Fine. Shouldn’t I be? Everything’s going like clockwork.” She didn’t meet Cami’s gaze.
“I wonder if Rosemary and Delphi would say it’s going like clockwork. They’re the ones in the thick of the last-minute preparations for tonight.”
“Better them than me, for sure.”
Cami pulled out her favorite lipstick and faced the mirror. “So tell me what happened between you and Blake.”
Lana froze as she touched up her mascara. It only lasted a second, but when she started moving and responded, her voice was a little strained. “What do you mean?”
“I mean something’s up between you. It’s obvious. You act like you used to be a couple, but you’re trying to pretend you barely know each other.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re only colleagues.”
Cami considered telling Lana that Blake admitted to loving her, but decided to keep that to herself. If it was told in confidence, she’d respect that. For now, anyway. “You have history of a romantic nature, don’t you?” She pressed her lips together and checked to make sure her lipstick was straight.
Lana stared at the counter as she put all of her cosmetics back into a bag. “I don’t want to talk about Blake and me. It’s over and done with. Maybe we can talk about it another day.”
Though Cami figured Lana was hoping to make ‘another day’ into never, she took the hint for now. The next few hours would be filled with enough stress without forcing Lana to hash out her relationship history.
Blake and Vince waited in the main office when the women emerged. Cami had to bite her lip in appreciation when she saw them—both looked completely fabulous, though of course, she only flashed her gaze over Blake before zeroing in on Vince. “You both look great.”
“Not half as great as you two.” Vince handed her a bouquet of calla lilies.
“Thanks, they’re perfect.” Cami gave him a kiss hello.
“I was considering a corsage, but Jonquil said no. Was she right?” Vince slid an arm around her waist and led her toward the stairwell.
“Never doubt Jonquil when it comes to flowers.” She rubbed the silky petals against her cheek and inhaled the weak floral scent.
After depositing the bouquet in her office, the four of them continued into the ballroom for the gala. Cami noticed the way Lana kept her hands to herself, but allowed Blake to guide her with a hand at her back.
Though Cami was busy talking to people and handling details Delphi threw her way, Vince stayed with her, apparently content to just be by her side. The same easy confidence he’d exhibited other times they had attended parties shown through as the evening progressed.
The dinner and ribbon cutting went well and the dancing had just begun when Vince pulled Cami into his arms and maneuvered her onto the floor. “How are you doing?” he asked, his voice low in her ear.
“Great.” She’d spoken to dozens of people, smiled like it was pasted on, and wanted nothing more than to go for a quiet walk in the coo
l evening air where she and Vince could be alone for a while. She wondered if they could slip out for a while. Her phone started to vibrate and she pulled it out to find the number from the front desk. “Sorry. Just a minute.”
“This is Cami,” she said.
“Hi, this is Kristi. I have a problem with one of the check-ins and neither of us can figure it out. I’m really sorry. I know you’re busy.”
Though she wanted to sigh, Cami just smiled in resignation. “Sure, I’ll be right there.” She ended the call and turned to Vince in apology. “I just have a little check-in problem. It should only take a few minutes. I’m sorry.”
He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb along her jaw. “No problem. How about if I get us some food? You probably haven’t eaten in hours.”
Her stomach was feeling pretty empty and despite the fact that she was in a major social engagement—which usually zapped her appetite—she thought she could eat something. “That sounds great.”
Getting back through the crowd quickly was a test in social grace, but in only a couple of minutes Cami made it out of the ballroom and headed to the foyer. The sound of the band fell behind her and she appreciated the cooler air now she was away from all the people. Her heels clicked on the marble floor tiles and she smiled as though she hadn’t a care in the world, though her feet were already throbbing. A glance at the shoes she’d bought while she and Vince had been in Chicago reminded her that the pain was well worth it. They looked fabulous!
“Hi,” she greeted the older couple when she reached the registration desk. “I’m Cami DiCarlo. Let’s see if we can figure out what’s going on here.” She came around the counter and let Kristi fill her in on the problem.
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